Eamon Dunphy: Zinedine Zidane must be given money to pick up demoralised Real Madrid

Eamon Dunphy: Zinedine Zidane must be given money to pick up demoralised Real Madrid

Independent.ie

Real Madrid have sacked coach Rafa Benitez after less than half a season in charge and promoted former France and Real great Zinedine Zidane from the B team to replace him, president Florentino Perez said on Monday.

Real Madrid have sacked coach Rafa Benitez after less than half a season in charge and promoted former France and Real great Zinedine Zidane from the B team to replace him, president Florentino Perez said on Monday.

Perez announced the dismissal of Benitez, who had a contract until June 2018, following a board meeting and Zidane was present at the president's news conference at the Bernabeu stadium.

"Firstly I would like to thank the club and the president for giving me the chance to coach this team," Zidane said.

"We have the best club in the world and the best fans in the world," the Frenchman added.

Speaking on Game On on RTE 2FM, former Ireland international Eamon Dunphy said he believed that Zidane will need to be given money to spend by the club.

"Zidane is very experienced... a great player, will have a lot credibility at the beginning but i saw the match last night and I saw them beaten 2-1 by Sevilla a fortnight ago and they were not really playing for Benitez and they look like a demoralised group of players," he said.

"Zidane will need to get money and bring in some players. There is never a shortage of money to buy players at Madrid."

"Chelsea never put it in this season under Mourinho, there was a problem in the dressingroom and time will reveal what that problem was and if players decide they are not going to work hard for you and graft, you are going to lose games," he added.

"The players now are so wealthy that they don't really fear coaches, you've got to engage them on another level. You've got to convince them with your ideas.

"Benitez is from the old school, Steven Gerrard in his book... Benitez never really engaged with his best player at all.

"The younger breed of coaches out there understand this.

"Ronaldo for example, although he has scored a lot of goals this season, he hasn't been the same player over the last few months with Benitez and that's because at a press conference when he first went there, Benitez was asked was Ronaldo better than Messi and he had no comment to make."